Browse Archives By:

Back in June (it seems like five years ago, doesn’t it?), we spent a week discussing flooring options for The Lodge, and after examining all the choices available (adobe tile, concrete, ceramic, wood), you all helped me realize that “Lodge” = “Wood”…and [...] Keep Reading

In a way, I’m really glad we focused our efforts on the deck early on. This way, when we drive up to The Lodge to check on things, the deck is the first thing we see and we can pretend—if only for a few seconds—that The Lodge is all finished inside. We fantasize that [...] Keep Reading

Based on our conversation a couple of weeks ago regarding what to do with the front porch of The Lodge, I started getting excited. I imagined a varied courtyard-type of arrangement, with smooth gravel areas and round benches surrounding a ripply pond with a real Zen feel. I imagined a [...] Keep Reading

Despite my occasional urge to push rewind, return to last February, and tell the demolition crew that’s getting ready to descend upon The Lodge “Uh, never mind. Go home. Now.” progress is being made. If we play our cards right and stay away from the rewind button, The [...] Keep Reading

I need you to pick the color of my washer and dryer. But seriously. I know the election is becoming ever-venomous and the markets are crumbling around our ankles, but the reality of life is, we started this monster remodel project last February on a lark and on a whim. And while I’ve [...] Keep Reading

It’s been seven months since we gutted The Lodge—the guest house on our ranch where Marlboro Man lived when we first met and fell in love and watched submarine movies night after night. As with any home improvement or remodel project, the gutting process seems like it happens [...] Keep Reading

Here’s where it’s all gonna happen: all those embarrassing late-evening John Denver jam sessions I have planned for our new deck at The Lodge. I can’t wait. So what if I can’t play the guitar—I’m only 39; I can learn! I’m really happy with the way [...] Keep Reading

First, let me say that your laundry room suggestions from Friday were over-the-top fabulous…and helpful. I had no idea laundry rooms could be so fancy and tricked out, and I’ve already started making a list of Incredible Laundry Room Features Not to Miss Out On Lest I Be Behind [...] Keep Reading

I have this staff that’s supposed to be taking daily progress photos of The Lodge: editing them, writing updates, and posting progress reports here daily. That’s in my staff’s job description; that’s what we agreed to when I hired them. And I was assured by this [...] Keep Reading

The thing that blows my mind the most about a remodel project like the gargantuan monstrosity going on at The Lodge is that as soon as you make a decision in one area, there are five more areas clamoring for a decision the second you turn around. The head spins. The mind boggles. This [...] Keep Reading

I’m not indecisive. I’m just carefully considering. And believe me, it’s not lost on me that not everyone who sets out to completely remodel an old guest house on their ranch has the luxury of a group of knowledgeable, engaged people by whom to run home improvement ideas, [...] Keep Reading

The deck, in all its wood and stone glory, is just about complete, and I’m so glad we didn’t wait until the inside of The Lodge was finished until we started on it. Because now, when we first drive up to The Lodge, we can immediately see the fruits of our (and the [...] Keep Reading

(For winners of The Home Depot giveaway, click here.) Based on your perspective and advice the other day, I continue refining the color choices for the kitchen at The Lodge. While I’m still drawn to the ethereal, subtle tones I showed you at the beginning of the week, some of you [...] Keep Reading

We’re just about to nail down our kitchen design for The Lodge after much weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth, Chardonnay, and Coffee Haagen Dazs, so the time has finally come for us to narrow down our color scheme for cabinets, countertops, etc. And during this process, I’ve [...] Keep Reading

Some days it feels as though the Lodge remodel is just barely moving along. For the last month, most of the work has been centered around both constructing the deck outside and behind-the-scenes, non-flashy stuff on the inside, like plumbing, electrical wiring, and insulation. But every [...] Keep Reading

Note: The winner of yesterday’s Home Depot giveaway has been selected: Congratulations, Deborah #7126! Email me at [email protected] to claim your loot! Marlboro Man, the kids, and I drove up to The Lodge yesterday evening, after I changed out of my flour-sprinkled and [...] Keep Reading

We have a farm in the southern part of our state, where we grow winter wheat on which to graze cattle during the cold winter months. For the longest time, anytime Marlboro Man, Tim, and their dad had to travel down south to work cattle for several days, they were relegated to a very small [...] Keep Reading

Marlboro Man sat down one night a couple of months ago and sketched out his idea for the new deck, which included these stone pillars (Pillars? Is that right? Are they posts? Columns?), which use native rock from around the Lodge. Marlboro Man can do that—sketch things out, [...] Keep Reading

First, thank you. Here’s what you’ve done for me this week. One: You chose the wood floor we’ll use in the Lodge. Thanks, man. Two: You chose the width of the planks of the wood floor we’ll use in the Lodge. The former choice was much more cut and dry; the latter, [...] Keep Reading

Okay, this is getting fun. Yesterday you selected (by an overwhelming margin, I might add) the flooring that will soon go in our beloved Lodge. Secretly, I think Option 1 had also been my preference, so I was relieved to see it take such a sweeping victory. Your advice and perspective also [...] Keep Reading